yasipedia #12: I'm just an animal looking for a home

Well well well…is how I’ve been starting my morning pages lately because it’s been a hell of a well, well, well time lately wouldn’t you say? The world is constantly taking me by surprise, so to speak. Every day really do be a winding road huh? I’ve been listening to “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody” and also this song by John Cale and Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno A LOT while sitting in the sun and meditating a lot on the nature of faith (casual) but I’ll spare you the details…for now.

If you actually want to hear more of my uncharacteristically earnest thoughts on life, I have been (ill-advisedly?) putting them in the openings of 24 Question Party People. A monologue is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have, but I have it etc. I was particularly in my therapized bag on the recent Paul Banks of Interpol episode if may I say so myself.

Anyway that’s not what you’re here for. You’re here for me to sell you a new t-shirt.

I did not have the actual shirt ready for a photo so here is a beautiful photo of what it might have looked like if 12 year old me wore the shirt that came 41 year old me in a dream which I then made using AI.

Also made a baby tee in case much like myself you’re dedicated to baring your midriff well through middle age.

Okay maybe you didn’t come here to be sold merch. Maybe you came here because you listened to six full hours of Bobby Harvillz and I talking Talking Heads and you were like Yasi what I need from you is MORE. And normally I would be like no <3 but then I remembered I did start this Substack with the vague promise of sending out a newsletter now and again and every time I get a new subscriber notification it’s like a tiny paper cut that reminds me oh right, I have a Substack. I should…send something out. So here we are, right on schedule. The schedule is kept in my mind where time is a construct and also the scene look like this:

Here we go: Bandsplain Talking Heads, director’s cut:

Here’s an early video of TH performing “Psycho Killer” at CBs, with a full intro by the god Seymour Stein

Here’s a great shot of David Byrne’s smile before he got a bag (that 15k advance for signing to Siren ) and fixed his teeth (hope you hoes know it ain’t cheap).

Here’s a cool early photo of Talking Heads as a trio.

This Tony Bongiovi, aka Tony Bonj, aka Jon Bon Jovi’s cousin, aka the man who tried to put a knife in David Byrne’s hand in the stu when he was trying to record the vocals for “Psycho Killer.”

Jerry Harrison has entered the chat and he looks cool as hell.

Here’s a flyer from the 1977 Talking Heads/Ramones European tour.

“I don’t wanna go to fuckin Stone Henge!”

Here’s a photo of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth’s 1977 wedding.

Bro look at the Talking Heads manager Gary Kurfirst what a LEGEND.

Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno

Here’s the Roxy Music song that (maybe) inspired the song title “Big Country” off More Songs About Building And Food

Here’s the tv show that (maybe) also inspired the song “Big Country”

Here’s Talking Heads playing “Take Me To The River” on American Bandstand with Dick Clark

And here is the awkward interview that came after.

Here’s a fun performance of the peanut-buttah song.

“There is a streak of defiance in David. He hates anything cliched. He allows himself to be nervous because it’s not a cliche. When he sits down in a chair, he’ll try to sit down in an unusual way just because he wants to be an individual.”  - Tina Weymouth in Trouser Press, 1979

Here is the video for “Crosseyed and Painless” directed by Toni Basil and starring the Electric Boogaloos dance crew that they did not play on MTV

Obsessed with this.

Here’s the book that Brian Eno and David Byrne named their album after without reading it.

Here’s the Grandmaster Flash x “Genius of Love” moment

Here’s the gang at the birth of Tina and Chris’ first child, who I’m told now has a mohawk and plays in a punk band.

Here’s Fun Boy 3 performing “Well Fancy That” live, the song, produced by David Byrne, that allegedly made him turn towards more personal songwriting. RIP Terry Hall.

Here’s the official video for my favorite TH song of all time.

Here’s David Byrne with a sort of Dumb and Dumber-esque haircut explaining his dancing and the big suit to David Letterman.

Maybe my favorite version from Stop Making Sense

Japanese single version of Jerry Harrison’s political single using the sample of Ronald Reagan’s insane radio gaffe.

Here’s a picture of part of Reverend Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden. He painted the cover of Little Creatures.

My Talking Heads tattoo…the ellipse…so mysterious, so pregnant with possibility…

Rock’s Renaissance Man.

Here’s how Rock’s Renaissance Man dressed for a majority of his film True Stories

Here’s the part in True Stories that made me cry.

Here’s the video for Rob Harvilla’s fav song

Here’s a music video for “The Damage I’ve Done” off the No Talking Just Head album which was all of the Talking Heads except David Byrne and guest vocalists. This one features Johnette Napolitano and is semi-insane. The 90s were wild man.

And lastly, for no reason, here is a photo of Ed Kowalczyk in a wig.

Until next time…